Artworks

Statuette of the god Ptah creator deity of Abydos and patron of craftsmen. The material is vibrant lapis lazuli. He is shown in typical pose, mummiform and holding a was sceptre with djed pillar terminal. Back column with narrow suspension loop. Condition fine.

Provenance

Comtesse Martine de Béhague Collection, Paris, France; acquired early 20th century
Weill Goudchaux Collection, London, UK
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; acquired from Charles Ede in 2006, Accession no. 2007.24

Publications

Wilhelm Froehner, Collection de la Comtesse R. de Béarn, I (Paris, 1905), illus.
S.Walker (ed) Cleopatra of Egypt- From History to Myth (Catalogue of an Exhibition held at the British Museum 2001) no.191. The catalogue entry suggests that this piece was intended to be worn; General Wendjebauendjed had a similar lapis lazuli statuette of Ptah mounted in gold to be worn as a reliquary.
Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v.65, n.2, Fall 2007